1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to trailer hitches, specifically trailer hitches for resisting inadvertent separation of a trailer tongue coupler from a vehicle's hitch ball.
2. Description of the Related Art
In coupling a trailer to a hitch of a vehicle, there are instances of improper securing and or environmental circumstances such as but not limited to resonant bumps that may cause a trailer tongue coupler to detach from a vehicle's hitch ball. Accordingly, a user may suffer damage to a vehicle and/or a trailer and may be subject to enhanced danger and/or liability. Therefore, there are devices in the art intended to more securely couple a trailer tongue to a vehicle's hitch ball.
In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 3,876,242 to Eaton describes a ball member of a trailer hitch is bolted to a tongue piece and is coaxially surrounded at its base by a raised rim integrally formed with the tongue piece. A ball cover is pivotally mounted on the tongue piece and is movable from an open position to a closed position covering the ball. Means are provided for locking the cover in the closed position so that the cover prevents the trailer socket member from disengaging from the ball and together with the rim prevents the ball from disengaging with the tongue piece either vertically or horizontally.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,892 to Kerins et al. discloses an improved trailer hitch for coupling a towing vehicle and a trailer. The invention is suitable for accommodating both ball and socket-type couplings and ring and pintle-type couplings. The integral body of the trailer hitch has a rear mount for attaching a body to a towing vehicle, a ball housing with a bore for mounting a removable ball stud, a plate for mating with the attachment means of a towed vehicle, and a passage for connecting a latching arm. There is also a latching arm having a notch, a pin, and a locking means.
What is needed is a trailer hitch that solves one or more of the problems described herein and/or one or more problems that may come to the attention of one skilled in the art upon becoming familiar with this specification.